


Dog Days

by Spacecadet72



Series: Hold Me [3]
Category: Knives Out (2019)
Genre: Animal Death, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:49:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23112736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacecadet72/pseuds/Spacecadet72
Summary: Marta and Benoit decide it's the time to put down their two dogs, and it hits hard for Marta.(Last cuddle and cuddle while someone is crying.)
Relationships: Benoit Blanc/Marta Cabrera
Series: Hold Me [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1659565
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	Dog Days

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hopeless_Romantic_Dreamer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hopeless_Romantic_Dreamer/gifts).



> This was prompted by ahopelessromanticwritersworld on tumblr. 
> 
> There is referenced animal death, but the death itself is not shown, just referenced.
> 
> The dogs are named after two literary detectives. Hercule Poirot was a recurring character of Agatha Christie, and Auguste Dupin was one of Edgar Allen Poe's characters who appeared in what is widely considered the first detective novel. I thought Harlan would choose these kinds of names for his dogs.

Marta lay on her side on the plush rug in the family room, curled around Auguste, one of the German shepherds she had inherited from Harlan. His brother, Hercule, lay up against Benoit's outstretched legs, where he sat on the floor, his back to the couch. Their three year old daughter, Sofia, lay asleep next to Hercule on his other side. Both Marta and Benoit were gently stroking the dogs next to them.

They would have been the very picture of domestic bliss if not for the heavy, almost tangible sadness that hung about them. Both of the dogs were getting old at ten and neither had been healthy for several months. Hercule's hips were giving him trouble and he had recently stopped eating. Auguste had developed lymphoma and the prognosis wasn't good.

After talking things over with their vet and each other, Marta and Benoit had decided that it was time to put down both dogs. They would be taking them to the vet in the morning.

Marta had been taking care to spend more time with them, together and separate, as their health declined. While Benoit was sad that they had to put down the dogs, Marta was taking it the hardest. They had tried to explain to Sofia what was going one, but she wasn't really old enough to understand yet.

Marta looked up at him, her eyes sad, but dry. "I think it's time to switch."

Benoit nodded and got up, patting Hercule on the head with a soft, "good boy," when he lifted his head to see where Benoit was going.

Marta wanted to make sure she spent time with both dogs as equally as she could. She had taken to cuddling them both in the evening, switching with Benoit after awhile.

He reached out to give her hand a squeeze as they passed each other in the middle of the room.

She gave him a grateful look as she let her hand go to lay down next to Hercule.

Benoit settled next to Auguste and began running his fingers through his fur.

They stayed that way, in heavy silence until Benoit's eyes began to droop and he was stifling several yawns. Sofia had stayed asleep the whole time, but they needed to get her and themselves to bed. Their appointment at the vet was early the next morning.

Marta had dozed off, her face buried in Hercule's fur. Giving Auguste one last pet, Benoit stood and walked over to his two girls. He crouched down to shake Marta's shoulder gently. "It's getting late," he said to her confused, sleepy look as she blinked awake. She nodded, but didn't get up, continuing to stroke Hercule's fur while Benoit picked up Sofia. Once he had their daughter cradled in his arms, Marta stood up, giving both of the dogs mournful glances. She followed him as they tucked Sofia into bed, and then to their own bedroom. The dogs slept on the main level now that stairs were difficult.

As they stepped into their room, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into an embrace.

She went willingly, melting into his arms.

"It will be alright," he murmured, although he knew it wouldn’t be right away. Both Auguste and Hercule had become family, especially to Sofia, who had grown up with them constantly by her side.

"I know," she said, her voice muffled against his shirt. "It's just hard," she said, her voice thick.

"That's normal," he said, moving his hand to rub up and down her back. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She pulled back enough to look at him and shook her head. "Will you just hold me?"

"Of course," he said softly as she laid her head back against his chest.

* * *

The next morning, as they drove back from the vet, the drive was silent and tense. Marta, and Benoit, had cried a little at the vet, but she was holding herself together with a determination that he knew well, and he knew she would save her breakdown for later when it was just the two of them. Sofia was back at the house with Marta's mom and he knew Marta didn't want to frighten Sofia with her crying.

Marta's mom greeted them as they walked into the house. She pulled Marta into a hug and murmured softly in Spanish. After pulling back from Marta, she reached up to hug Benoit. He had picked up enough Spanish in the past few years to understand what she murmured to him as well, comforting sayings about how things would be better and how sorry she was for their loss.

"Thank you," he said, as he stepped back.

"Daddy!"

He looked up with a smile as Sofia came towards him. He crouched down to pick her up and held her to him as he stood. "Were you good for Abuela?" he asked, trying to keep his tone upbeat, although he didn't feel it.

She nodded. "Where are the dogs?"

Marta made a small distressed noise behind them, and he glanced her way. She waved him off, but he could see that a breakdown was imminent.

"Do you remember how we said that the dogs were sick and it was time for them to go away?" he asked, as Sofia nodded, but didn't look like she really understood. "That's where mommy and I were. The dogs are gone now and they won't be back."

Sofia thought through that information for a moment before looking up at him. "Like a trip?"

Benoit shook his head. "Kind of like a trip, but they won't be coming back." He could tell that this was going to be a difficult concept for her to grasp and his heart ached at the thought.

Marta's mom walked over and held out her hands for Sofia. "Why don't we go play and we can talk about it a little more, Sofia," she said before turning to Benoit. "You and Marta go upstairs for a little while."

Benoit glanced over at Marta and saw she was close to breaking. He handed Sofia over to Mrs. Cabrera and walked quickly to Marta, laying his hand against the small of her back to guide them to their room.

The moment they got into their room and the door was closed, the tears began to fall. He walked them over to the bed, and propped himself against the headboard before gesturing for her to join him. Once she was curled against him, he pulled her into his lap so that she could curl against him more easily. She went without hesitation or comment and soon she was wracked with sobs. He ran his hand down her hair. He felt some of his own tears fall, but was mostly focused on Marta.

Her cries quieted and slowed after a while and he continued running his fingers through her hair.

"It's like losing him again," she said quietly.

Several things clicked into place for him at that statement. She was dealing with more than just the loss of the dogs. "Harlan?"

She nodded. "I'm sad for the dogs as well, but this was my last living connection to them. Well," she said, her tone turning dry, "the last positive living connection."

Benoit barked out a laugh at that. "I know this isn't easy," he said, "and you're processing grief for so many beings. I'm so sorry."

"You're hurting too," she said, leaning up to wipe a tear from his cheek.

"You're right," he said, "but I can still be sorry for the pain you're going through."

"Alright," she said, her voice small and he wondered if she might start crying again.

She was quiet for several minutes, her breathing slow and even and he let her be, his own thoughts enough to keep him occupied. He glanced down and realized she had fallen asleep. She hadn't gotten much rest the night before, having been up late worrying. Moving her to lie next to him, he pulled the folded blanket from the foot of the bed over them and felt himself drifting off to sleep. They were both grieving, but with his wife in his arms, they would make it through.


End file.
